The present invention relates to a gas furnace and, more specifically, to a gas furnace control arrangement, which enables the user to operate the gas furnace at a far place from the furnace body.
Regular gas furnaces commonly use a piezoelectric ignition device to control ignition and furnace flame regulation. Because the ignition device is mounted on the furnace body, the user must walk to the furnace body when operating the ignition device. Because the furnace body of a gas furnace is generally installed in the floor, the user must bend the body or sit on the heels when operating the ignition device. This design is inconvenient to a disabled or old person. Further, when operating the piezoelectric ignition device, the cock must be held in the depressed status for several seconds when turned to the ignition position. Early release of the cock may cause an ignition failure. This operation takes much time and effort.
The present invention has been accomplished to provide a gas furnace control arrangement, which eliminates the aforesaid problems.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a gas furnace control arrangement, which comprises a control unit installed in the furnace body, and an operating unit installed any desired location far from the furnace body and connected to the electronic igniter of the gas furnace and the control unit by conductors for enabling the user to operate the gas furnace without approaching the furnace body.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a gas furnace control arrangement, which enables the user to ignite the electronic igniter of the furnace and to regulate the volume of the furnace flame by means of switching on/off a set of switches just like operating an indoor lamp switch or the remote controller of an electric home appliance.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the gas furnace control arrangement comprises a control unit and an operating unit. The control unit is installed in the furnace body of a gas furnace having an electronic igniter and a mother flame nozzle and a main flame nozzle, and connected to the electronic igniter by conductor means. The control unit comprises a valve seat supported on the furnace body, and a set of solenoid valves mounted in the valve seat. The solenoid valves include a main valve adapted to control a gas passage from an external fuel gas source to the valve seat, a mother flame valve adapted to control a gas passage from the valve seat to the mother flame nozzle, a high flow rate valve adapted to control a big gas passage from the valve seat to the main flame nozzle, a medium flow rate valve adapted to control a medium gas passage from the valve seat to the main flame nozzle, and a low flow rate valve adapted to control a small gas passage from the valve seat to the main flame nozzle. The operating unit is provided outside the furnace body and respectively connected to the control unit and the electronic igniter by respective conductor means, comprising a power switch adapted to switch on/off the electronic igniter to discharge sparks for burning fuel gas at the mother flame nozzle and to close/open the main valve and the mother flame valve, a strong flame switch adapted to close/open the high flow rate valve, a medium flame switch linked to the strong flame switch and adapted to close/open the medium flow rate valve, and a weak flame switch linked to the strong flame switch and the medium flame switch and adapted to close/open the low flow rate valve.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when take in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.